


The Adventures of Red Beret and Cat Lad

by thankyouturtle



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Genderswap, Rule 63
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-07
Updated: 2011-04-07
Packaged: 2017-10-17 17:02:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/179034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thankyouturtle/pseuds/thankyouturtle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cat Lad isn't the only one learning to get on without his mentor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Adventures of Red Beret and Cat Lad

**Author's Note:**

> Um.
> 
> Sorry.

“So. Catwoman’s carked it, and yet you’re still here, checking out the goods.”  

A figure stepped out of the shadows, and Tim started. He’d been intent on disarming the alarms; he’d never even thought to make sure there was no one else around. Sloppy work, Selina would have told him. Of course, he couldn’t have planned for a young woman in a leather jacket and red domino mask to be the one to apprehend him, even if he’d tried.  

“Who are you?” he asked. She certainly wasn’t any vigilante Tim had met before - no villain, either. Still, there was something familiar in the way she was holding herself, something Tim couldn’t quite put his finger on.  

“So why are you still cleaning out bank accounts with your Mamma Kitty gone?” The girl asked, ignoring Tim’s question. Tim shrugged, still wary.  

“I like a good challenge.”  

“Liar.” She didn’t sound angry about it. “Selina might’ve taught you to steal, but she made a terrible actor out of you.”  

Tim clenched his fists, breathed in, breathed out. How the hell did this - _dominoed minx_ \- know Catwoman’s name? There was only one possible explanation. “You knew her,” he said.  

“Sure. Her and the B-man were a thing back in the day, didn’t you know?”  

And Tim could see it, then, the tilt of her head, the arrogant smirk - that’s why she was so familiar. “You’re Robin,” he breathed. 

“I _was_ Robin,” the girl returned. “Can’t have a Robin with a dead Bat. Personally, I’m liking the name Red Hood, although Nightwing says I’d need an actual hood for that to work. It’s not like he’s got wings, though, so I don’t know-”  

“Why are you _here_?” Tim asked, suddenly impatient. “If you’re trying to stop me, you’re not doing a very good job.”  

The girl - Red Hood? - rolled her eyes. “Puh-lease. If I were trying to stop you you’d be getting your cute little tush spanked even as we speak.” Tim opened his mouth, felt his cheeks heat up, and closed it again. “I’m _actually_ here to make you an offer.” 

Tim swallowed, trying to get himself back under control. “What kind of offer?”  

“Be my Robin,” the girl said, simply.  

“ _What_?”  

“Be my Robin,” she repeated. “You know, my slightly-less-experienced partner. I’ll be fighting a war on crime, you’ll be wearing tight trousers and hitting the ones I miss.”  

“I’m a criminal,” Tim said, feeling like he’d missed something important.  

“What? Oh yeah, the stealing thing. Look, I know Batman was all black-and-white, but I’d rather be chasing murderers and rapists and drug-lords than cat-burglars, and I could do with a good partner, even if it’s someone with as stupid a name as Catlid.”  

“It’s Cat _Lad_ -”  

“Here’s my business card,” the girl said. Tim automatically held out his hand, then sharply withdrew it.  

“That’s a knife!”  

“Is it? Well, you make up your mind, and come and find me when you’re ready to say yes.”  

And then the girl had gone, and Tim was alone in a high-security vault with the alarm going off. Confused didn’t even nearly begin to describe how he felt. And yet - something about her offer was tempting…


End file.
